Before you take a journey, you need to know the destination. This summer, the Girl Scouts are inviting members to set out on a journey of “change” that is billed as a “leadership experience.” However, it was inspired by a New Age group, and it may take you or your daughter to a place that is not compatible with your faith or values.

Back in 1995, the Girl Scouts put an asterisk by the word “God” in the Girl Scout Promise, which allowed members to tell the Almighty to take a hike. It’s been downhill ever since.

Like the “change” that is now being promoted by presidential candidate Barack Obama, the words are warm and fuzzy and the goals difficult to pin down, but the emphasis in these new Girl Scout journeys is on creating self-esteem, developing one’s own value system and global groupthink on a series of politically correct themes.

Even the word “leadership” has a new definition. Girl Scout CEO Kathy Cloninger says, “When people, including girls, think about leadership, they still too often think command and control of power and position. Girls in this country need a new definition of leadership so they can relate to it and aspire to it.”

being able to have empathy for and relate well to others and appreciate diversity;

caring enough to make the world better.

How sweet! It looks like the Girl Scouts are more interested in creating a mass that can be easily led around by the nose for the “global good” than giving girls the skills to become real leaders.

As a former Girl Scout who has broken a lot of barriers for women and who shares a birthday with founder Juliette Low, I am taking this latest insult personally.

The Girl Scouts were led down this garden path by the Ashland Institute, an organization that promotes Transitional Awareness.

TA is described on the groups website as “an experience in expansion of the True Self addressing ‘All of Life as Change’ (ah, there is that word again) with Intentional Focus and Intuition. One begins to feel the body as a complete map of human consciousness. …”

Surely, this is not what Low had in mind when she designed a program to help girls develop “physically, mentally and spiritually”!

Transitional Awareness, according to the Ashland Institute, “is a learning experience which transcends the mind’s information-based system – as the brain, heart and body integrates information, you begin to learn in a new and different way as you tune into your Heart Spirit. … Through precise observation and feedback and an interview, you allow your Spirit or Essence of your Being, your True Self, to move into creating the life you desire and deserve.”

Did you get all that? You, in effect, become your own god.

The first three journeys’ programs begin innocently enough: The Daisy program offers kindergartners the chance to meet flowers and critters who guide them to explore global diversity, botany, the environment and stewardship of the land. The Brownies are invited to “go ELF” by exploring, linking arms and flying into action. The Juniors become “Agents of Change” and make “peace kits.”

By the time they reach the Seniors program, it is hard-core. It’s called GIRLtopia. Senior Scouts are to become “ambassadors” and explore “the rich and global history of women’s advocacy efforts.”

For years, the Girl Scouts offered young girls an opportunity to honor God and develop useful and practical skills. Today, the emphasis seems to have shifted to the adults who will serve as “guides” after having been indoctrinated with New Age beliefs through Ashland’s “Coming into Your Own” personal development program. You can only imagine what some of the “outcomes” of these new life journeys will be.

While the scouting experience largely depends on the mindset of local leaders, even with the best of leaders, this curriculum will be in the hands of the girls. Therefore, for many, compromises have to be made in order to coexist with the national goals, tradition and programs.

The God of the Bible is a jealous God. He is all-powerful. We are to seek His will for our lives and live by His values, not create our own.

Fortunately, there are some good alternatives to the Girl Scouts. Legacy Clubs for mothers and daughters began last year in Draper, Utah. American Heritage Girls began 13 years ago in Cincinnati, Ohio, and is now active in 33 states. AHG closely mirrors the program begun by Juliette Low.

If you are looking for a conservative alternative to the Girl Scouts, try Frontier Girls. This program goes back to what scouting was supposed to be. Information on the program can be found at their website, http://www.frontiergirls.com. While they are very new, founded in 2007, they are already in 9 nine states with several more coming on board this fall.

I think those who bash the Girl Scouts over the health value of their cookies are missing the bigger picture. When you think of Girl Scouts, what do you think of? Green uniforms and cookies are generally the answer. It has been years since the Girl Scouts first impression was of patriotism, community service, or good character. Their problems go WAY beyond their cookies. If you are looking to support a scout like organization for girls, try Frontier Girls, where girls keep 100% of all fundraising instead of 50 cents a box. You can find more information on this program at http://www.frontiergirls.com. If your local Girl Scout troops, like mine, are worth supporting, simply make a monetary donation directly to the troop and by pass the cookies. Not only will you be healthier, the troop will get more money.

Sarahsaid

For someone who does not know God, hearing that he is “jealous” can be a real turn off. Doesn’t this go against what Christians claim to be? I am a Christian, and I see no conflict — let me briefly explain. When God teaches us about Himself in the Bible, he uses illustrations from things we experience in life. In the passages about being “jealous” (Exodus 20:5, Exodus 34:14, etc.) God is using marriage to help us understand Him. God compares Himself to a husband who deeply loves his wife. He is devoted to her. And he earnestly desires (is “jealous”) that she return his love, and stay faithful to him. If she does otherwise, it will hurt her, and he doesn’t want this for her. That is my God, and I am glad He cares whether or not I am loyal and loving towards Him.